Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-05-05
HENRY rExDrNHAnE DEAD.
His Death Onuasd By Apoplexy KrI-
day. n OrufnG,

The whole business and social community
was shocked Thursday when the intalll-
genee was quickly spread that Henry Mea-
dinhall was dead. EyERy EVENING had an-
nounced on Saturday week that Mr.. Mendin-
hall was confined to the house with d severe
cold, but that he was reported better and Il
was thought he would be out again In a
week or two. He caught cold while
walking out Delaware avenue about
10 days ago, but was able with his family
on Tuesday eveting, the 10th inst, to attend
q social gathering at Rockford" !" the resi-
denes of Samuel Bancroft, .Jr, Before
breakfast the next morning, however, he
was taken suddenly with severe cold and
DR.. Negendank was at once summoned.
The latest reports had been most en-
couraging, having nothing alarming in
them and therefore lessening little,
IL any, the shock caused by the
announcement of bis death, " lich oecurp d
at o'clock Thursday morning. At thar
hour Mr.. Mendinhall was up, had almost
chair telling what he would like for
breakfast. Mrs. Mendinhall was alb Jut TO
leave him, when she heard showing sound
as II Mr.. Mendlnhall were pushing chair
away from him. Turning she noticed the
flushed appearance Of his face, and found
he did not answer her. Dr.. Negendank
was at once esummoned, but life fobably was
'AhhSt IA u low boObuuo tttlOE LILO SthIA1 Vi
apoplexy, and when the doctor arrived Mr..
Mendinhall was dead.
Henry Mendinhall was born on the cast
side OF King street q few doors above
Second, August 26th, 1887, and conse-
quently would have been 50 years old his
summer. At the age Of II he went into
the store OF George Richardson, which was
then at S04 Market street, where he learned
the hardware business. There he stayed
until he was Of age, when he went to
Mcdaniel, Craige d Co., where the Diamond
State Iron Company now is. Mr.. Mendin-
hall bought the half tnterestsof William y.
Craige, and the firm was Mcdaniel, Adams
a 90. until Delaplaine Mcdaniel, John H.
Adams and Henry Mendinhall, incorporated
the Diamond State Iron Company In 1865.
Mr.. Mendinhall was the first president Of
this very successful company, and held the
position up to the time Of his death.
While Mr.. Mendinhall was ready to and
did lend hand In many local enterprises,
be was officially connected with but few,
finding his time pretty well monopolized by
his work in the Diamond State Iron Com
pany, of which he was generally considered
the main-stay. Last year, however, upon
the death Of Edward Pusey he became
his successor as director Of the National
Bank Of Wilmington and Brandywine. He
never held any public office, but was we'll
known as strong Republican In politics.
Mr.. Mendinhall was married to Elizabeth
W. Wilson, daughter Of Ell Wilson, on Sep
tember 18th, 1860. He leaves a widow and
two grown daughters Jessie and Eleanor.
Mrs. 4. olarkson Taylor, a sister, Edward
Mendinhall an older, and William q. Men
dinhall a younger brother survive him.
Having lived In Wilmington all his life and
mis- family having llGerLnHrrled with other
local families, tiiero Is a large circle of
mourning relatives and friends. Mr.. Mem
itnhall showed his interest both In the lib
.ral branch II tine Society OF Friends and
ia Uni arian Church.
Fur many years Mr.. Mendlnhal lived at
BOG weet street, shut about two years ago
luilt the handsome residence at 1107 DOla-
ware avenue, FrBnk Furness being
the architect and designing one Of the most
elegant homes in the city, In the summer of
1885 Mr. Mendinhall and hts family we're
abroad, and 1t was then that symp.oms
were noticed which made his friends think
1t not improbable that bis death would be
sudden, especially.as his father and sister
had met with sudden deaths.
There was large gathering of rela-
tiyes and friends Saturday afternoon at
the funeral. The easket was in the parior,
the upper half of the lid being removed
leaving the remains exposed TO view
glass. A single palm leaf tied
with dark ribbon rested on the lower half
of the lid. At few minutes of O'clock
the employees of the Diamond State Iron
Company, Of which Mr.. Mendinhall was
president for 81 years, filed through the
parlor and out the side door.
The ceremony was in accordance with
the custom of the Society of Friends
George W. Stone read from the 23d and
12lst Psalms and the XIV chap pter of John,
after which he touchingly referred to tine
deceased and the great evidences OF im-
mortality, closing with an appropriate
quotation from Whittier's ''Snowbouud."
AL those except the immediate relatives
then left the house, the interment
being private in the Wilmington
and Brsndywine cemetery. The
honorary pall-bearers were: George s.
Capelle, John 4. Davis, Henry Lea,
Preston Lea, Clement B. Smyth, George
W. Stone, George W. Todd and e. T.
Warner. The pall-bearers were the fol-
lowing chosen from the Oldest employees
of the Diamond State Iron Company:
Michael Grant, ST., John Feeney, ST.,
Benjamin Oummins, Robert j. Writ,
Thomas Anderson, Frank Manion, John
Schaffer and William W. Rees.
Among we'll known citizens present
were Charles Warner, Edward Belts,
Joshua Pusey, job Il. jackson, Washing
ton Jones, W. G. Pennypacker, Hon.
Charles B. Lore, Judge Wales, W. O.
Spruance, George q. Bates, W. H. Swift,
William p. Bancroft, William Oanby,
William M. Candy, A. d. Warner, Charles
G. Rumford, George Richardson, 2.
James Belt, James Morrow, Daniel W.
Taylor, James @. Knowles, Granville
Worrell, Captain Alexander Kelley, oap-
tain Willard Thomson, Thomas jackson,
J. Il. Hoffeeker, Jr.
Among those from Philadelphia we're
John Sellers, Sellers Bancroft, George
Barnes.